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Doctor Reveals 4 Foods That Trick Your Body Into Losing Weight Like Ozempic

Dr. Becky Gillaspy reveals what to eat in a day to trick your body into thinking it is full. 

Do you want to lose weight without Ozempic? Dr. Becky Gillaspy works full-time, helping people reach their health and weight loss goals through her website and two YouTube channels: Dr Becky Fitness and 2 Fit Docs. In a recent YouTube video, she reveals how to trigger the Ozempic weight loss effect. "Ozempic causes weight loss by mimicking the action of a naturally occurring hormone called GLP-1 she says, revealing that "you can boost that hormone by eating great tasting foods" and "don't want to endure costly weekly injections that could leave you feeling nauseated for the rest of your life."

GLP-1 Is a Hormone That Lowers Blood Sugar and Helps You Feel Full

She starts her post by explaining that Ozempic is a GLP-1 agonist. "GLP is a hormone naturally produced in your small intestine in response to food intake. So after you eat and there is food inside your system, GLP-1 is called into action. Its responsibility is to help bring your blood sugar level back down after the meal and ensure you feel full. So GLP-1 is a helpful hormone because of its effects, which are a robust insulin response."

RELATED: 20 Things You Need to Know About Ozempic and Weight Loss

Ozempic Mimics It and Tricks Your Body Into Feeling Full

Montreal, CA - 16 November 2023: Ozempic semaglutide injection pens. Ozempic is a medication for obesity
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"Slower digestion and increased fullness give you better blood sugar and weight control," she continues. "Ozempic mimics the action of natural GLP-1 by acting as an agonist. An agonist is a manufactured substance that binds to cells, causing the same action as the natural substance. So essentially, ozempic tricks your body into thinking there is more GLP-1 hormone present than there really is."

Diet Can Stimulate GLP-1 Naturally

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Can you boost GLP one without taking a drug? Yes, you can," she says. "Diet plays a significant role in stimulating GLP-1 production naturally. Let's go through an entire day of eating to show you how to do it," she says.

RELATED: 20 Possible Ozempic Side Effects

Eat Yogurt in the Morning

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The first food she recommends is yogurt for breakfast, which you can eat in the morning as an afternoon snack if you practice intermittent fasting. "It is a fermented food and it contains a combination of protein and calcium. The prebiotics and probiotics in fermented foods like yogurt can enhance gut health by influencing the gut microbiota, which plays a role in GLP-1 secretion. Research shows that dairy products like yogurt, milk, and cheese can increase GLP-1 levels post-consumption. The protein contained in these foods triggers the release of GLP-1 as the body works to metabolize amino acids, while calcium plays a supporting role in enhancing this process. So, the combination of protein and calcium has a synergistic effect, leading to a more pronounced GLP-1 response compared to either nutrient alone. She recommends avoiding low-fat varieties with added sugar, which "spikes your blood sugar," she says. "You can choose either unsweetened Greek or regular yogurt. Greek yogurt is higher in protein, whereas regular yogurt is higher in calcium. Either way, you are getting a fermented food with a desired combination of protein and calcium, and you don't have to eat plain yogurt."

Add Berries

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She also recommends "stirring in some sweetness in the form of berries," which helps boost the polyphenol content, "giving yourself a third GLP-1 advantage," she says. "Much like fermented foods, foods rich in polyphenols positively influence the gut microbiota supporting GLP-1 production. Think of polyphenols as the beneficial substances that give colorful plant foods like berries their color. If you've ever heard the advice to eat a rainbow each day, what you're really being asked to do is eat a variety of polyphenols each day. And some extra good news? Polyphenols are also found in coffee and green tea, so feel free to enjoy a cup or two with your yogurt."

RELATED: 8 Tips to Make Losing Weight Feel Effortless, From Proven Experts

Eat a Salad

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Next, she explains why she is the proponent of a daily salad. "When naturally boosting GLP-1 is your goal, a daily salad is a gem. Non-starchy vegetables like leafy greens, cucumbers, onions, peppers, and tomatoes are going to build on your polyphenol intake for the day and also provide fiber. Fiber not only slows digestion but also promotes the growth of beneficial gut bacteria. When fiber is processed by gut bacteria, short-chain fatty acids are produced, which stimulate the release of GLP-1. Those vegetables also fill your stomach, and while that added volume is not directly related to GLP-1, it does suppress your appetite by activating stretch receptors in the stomach and intestine. When those receptors are stretched, they convey a, 'we are full' message to your brain, letting you comfortably stop eating."

Top It with Protein and Healthy Fat

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"You can gain an even bigger hunger satisfaction advantage by topping your daily salad with protein and healthy fats," she explains. Dietary fat often gets a bad rap, but certain types of fat are essential for health and can even promote weight loss. When fat enters the small intestine, it stimulates the secretion of cholecystokinin, which slows stomach emptying and signals the gallbladder and pancreas to release enzymes for digestion. As a result, you get slower, more robust digestion. So by all means, load up your salad with protein and healthy fats such as meat, salmon, cheese, hard-boiled eggs, avocados, nuts, seeds, and an olive oil-based dressing."

Pair a Protein with Veggies for Dinner

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She moves on to dinner. "To boost GLP-1 levels and continue hunger satisfaction for the remainder of the day, serve a healthy portion of non-starchy vegetables alongside a protein-rich entree like meat, chicken, or fish," she says.

RELATED: Woman Lost 42 Pounds With These 7 Simple Protein-Rich Recipes

Cook with Fats

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"Don't be afraid to cook in fats that stand up to heat, such as butter, avocado oil, or high-quality olive oil. The combination of protein, fat, and veggies creates a meal that takes a long time to digest and produces a nice steady rise and fall in blood sugar over time. That is what you want because it helps you move comfortably through the evening hours without snacking. Eating too close to bedtime elevates blood sugar and insulin overnight, blocking fat loss. GLP-1 can be stimulated naturally when you choose fermented foods or foods that contain protein, especially protein paired with calcium, polyphenols, fiber, and fat," she continues.

She Has a Cookbook with More Recipes

If you want more of her recipes, you can order her Mediterranean Keto cookbook. "If you want to eat for hunger satisfaction, it provides more than 45 recipes that promote hunger satisfaction and help enhance your body's ability to produce GLP-1 naturally," she concludes. And if you enjoyed this article, take advantage of these 15 Quick Ways to Lose Body Fat Percentage in a Week.

Leah Groth
Leah Groth has decades of experience covering all things health, wellness and fitness related. Read more